OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION SERVICE Biology and Management of the Beet Leafhopper and Purple Top Phytoplasma Affecting Potatoes in the Pacific Northwest S.I. Rondon and T. Oppedisano tissues during feeding. They spread through the vascular system from the phloem. Transmission occurs everal species of leafhoppers (Hemiptera: in three basic steps: Cicadellidae) feed and thrive on potato. They Scan cause direct damage by feeding, or indirect 1. The acquisition access period, which damage by transmitting pathogens, including viruses corresponds to the feeding duration necessary to and phytoplasmas. Although a lot of information is acquire the phytoplasma. available on viruses affecting potato, less information is 2. The latency period, which is the time required available on phytoplasmas. This publication focuses on from initial acquisition to when successful phytoplasmas. transmission is possible. Phytoplasmas are small bacterial parasites of plant 3. The inoculation access period, which phloem tissue. As obligate parasites, they cannot corresponds to the feeding time sufficient to complete the life cycle without exploiting a suitable host. transmit the pathogen (Figure 1). Phytoplasmas are associated with diseases of hundreds of plant species worldwide, including many economically important crops such as fruit trees and ornamental plants. Silvia I. Rondon, professor and Extension entomology specialist, Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center, and Phytoplasmas are transferred from the saliva of Tiziana Oppedisano, postdoctoral scholar, both of Oregon State infected vectors such as insects into plant phloem University. Figure 1. The phytoplasma life cycle involves two Acquisition different hosts: plants and Diseased access period insects. A plant acquires plant phytoplasmas during Uninfected insects feed insect feeding, and the on infected plants phytoplasmas multiply (inoculum source) within the plant before being transmitted to another plant via an insect host. Graphic: Tiziana Oppedisano and Erik Simmons, © Oregon State University Latency period Multiplication of the Multiplication of pathogen inside the the pathogen inside insect body the phloem of the infected plant Inoculation access period Transmission from an infected insect to a healthy plant by feeding EM 9282 April 2020 BLH per month 2006-2019 Vectors and phytoplasmas have a propagative and TOTAL NUMBER OF THE BEET persistent relationship. “Propagative” means that the 2019 LEAFHOPPER, CIRCULIFER pathogen can multiply within the insect’s body, while TENELLUS BAKER, PER MONTH, “persistent” rmeans that the insect remains infective 2006–2019 2018 for life. The length of each of these steps makes a Figure 2. Population dynamics of the vector efficient or not. beet leafhopper, Circulifer tenellus Baker. Data are the results of the monitoring Purple top in the Columbia Basin 2017 conducted in the lower Columbia Basin during the years 2006–2019 by the Phytoplasma diseases have emerged as a serious OSU Irrigated Agricultural Entomology issue in several irrigated crops in the Columbia Basin of 2016 Program. Approximately 37 fields were Oregon and Washington, including potatoes, carrots, monitored each year. A yellow sticky card and other vegetables. The most important disease was used to sample beet leafhoppers. associated with phytoplasma infection in potatoes is purple top disease, or Columbia purple top disease. PTD 2015 May was first described in Canada in 1933. Over 60 years June later, high incidence levels were reported anecdotally in July 2014 the Columbia Basin, where growers observed that seed August potatoes failed to “produce normal plants, and plants September that emerged died.” 2013 The first documented outbreak occurred during the 2002 and 2003 growing seasons, when potato growers in the Pacific Northwest experienced significant yield losses. In recent years, sporadic PTD outbreaks have been reported in 2012 the Columbia Basin of Oregon and Washington (Figure 2). The condition was initially thought to be caused 2011 by the aster yellows phytoplasma, the pathogen responsible for PTD in other growing areas. However, researchers determined that the phytoplasma was the 2010 Beet Leafhopper Transmitted Virescence agent, or BLTV, and that the vector responsible for transmitting the pathogen was Circulifer tenellus Baker, also known 2009 as the beet leafhopper, or BLH (Figure 3). PTD is associated with phytoplasma strains belonging to the aster yellows group (16SrI) subgroup 16SrI-B 2008 (‘Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris’), the peanut witches’- broom group (16SrII) (‘Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia’), and the BLTV, which belongs to the clover 2007 proliferation phytoplasma group 16SrVI-A (‘Candidatus Phytoplasma trifolii’). The last major outbreak of PTD in the Columbia Basin 2006 was recorded in 2013. PTD has been associated with the aster yellows phytoplasma (group 16SrI) in the north- 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 central United States, Mexico, Bolivia and Peru. PTD Mean BLH has become a limiting factor for potato production in May June July August September several areas of Canada, Oregon, Washington and South America. PTD disease incidence has fluctuated in the last 18 years, and long-term investigations are required to detail the epidemiology of vector and pathogen. Beet leafhopper biology and ecology A B The BLH has been identified as one of the most Photos: A.F. Murphy, © Oregon State University important pests on potatoes in the Pacific Northwest. Figure 3A. A “light” form of the beet leafhopper (on a sticky Besides BLTVA, the BLH is also associated with beet card). Figure 3B. A “dark” form of the BLH on a leaf. 2 1 mm 1 mm potatoes, beets and weeds. In general, leaves of plants infected with this phytoplasma are dwarfed, crinkled and rolled upward and inward. Veins are roughened and often swollen. In potatoes, symptoms include a rolling upward of the top leaves with yellowish, reddish or purplish discoloration; moderate proliferation of buds; shortened internodes; swollen nodes; aerial tubers; and early plant decline (Figure 5). A B Molecular techniques such as polymerase chain reaction and nested PCR can detect BLTVA in both Photos: A.F. Murphy, © Oregon State University Figure 4A. An early nymphal stage of the beet leafhopper, insects and plants. Both are highly sensitive methods Circulifer tenellus. Figure 4B. A later nymphal stage. for the detection of phytoplasmas in plant and insect DNA. Molecular phytoplasma testing results curly top virus disease, which can cause economic indicated that BLTVA incidence in plants and BLH losses in beans, pepper, tomato, spinach, sugar beets, varies. For instance, from 2005 to 2007, BLTVA melons and members of the squash family. BLHs feed presence in BLH collected from potatoes ranged and reproduce on many different plants, including sugar from 9.2% to 34.8%. Similarly, BLTVA incidence beet, tomato, cucurbits, spinach and weeds such as in BLH collected from weeds ranged from 5.6% tumble mustard, pigweed, lambsquarters, groundsorel, to 28.3%. BLTVA incidence in BLH collected from wild radish, redstem filaree and various species of colonies where BLH were fed only with infected thistles. BLTVA plants ranged from 39.3% to 44.5%. BLH adults are small insects that measure about 3.4–3.7 mm long. They are usually whitish or greenish Integrated pest management in color during the summer but show some dark spots Protecting crops — especially early in the season dorsally in fall, becoming mostly dark in winter. The — is essential from the perspective of season-long clear or dark forms are likely related to variations in sustainability, since it is easier to control few insects climate: Lighter coloration is associated with higher rather than plenty of them. Researchers have estimated temperatures during development (Figure 3, page 2). The adults have long, slender rear legs and will jump away when disturbed. Adults move into fields in early spring in search of a suitable host and begin to feed on and lay eggs on host plants. The eggs are whitish to yellowish in color, elongated and slightly curved. Females deposit eggs individually in the tissue of the leaves and stems. With optimal temperature conditions of 30°C, each female may deposit 300–400 eggs that hatch five to seven days later. Under temperatures of 18° C or lower, the egg incubation can last almost one month. Newly emerged nymphs are transparent to white (Figure 4A) but become greenish in color within a few hours (Figure 4B). There are five nymphal instars, and the later instar is typically spotted with black, red and brown on the thorax and abdomen. In Oregon and Washington, BLH completes generally three generations per year. In warmer areas such as California or Arizona, BLH can complete up to five generations. Photo: A.F. Murphy, © Oregon State University Damage to plants and infection rate Figure 5. Typical symptoms of potato plants infected by the Beet Leafhopper Transmission Viresence Agent phytoplasma Direct feeding by BLH causes relatively minor pathogen. Symptoms include rolling upward of the top leaves damage. However, BLH pest status is derived from with purplish discoloration, moderate proliferation of buds, the transmission of BLTVA. BLTVA affects primarily shortened internodes and swollen nodes. 3 that the severity of yield loss changes in relation to BLH density, reaching an average of 15% if five insects are present on the plant (Table 1). Table 1. Beet leafhoppers and yield loss Average yield loss (%) BLH/plant Low Medium